


The Truth That Sets You Free

by Leni



Series: The Real Fairytale [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Background Swanfire, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-26 03:49:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13227480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leni/pseuds/Leni
Summary: The Golds deal with Emma's revelation.





	The Truth That Sets You Free

**Author's Note:**

> @ali-j-t asked 'slash'. 
> 
> I haven't tried a drabble-fic this long in years! I'm so excited to be playing with 100 words again!

Belle took Emma's hand. "You understand that we need to call your parents."

The girl shook her head. "No, not yet. Please. They'll be so disappointed. I really don't know how to tell them."

Belle opened her mouth to reassure her, but honesty compelled her to keep quiet. Mary Margaret and David wouldn't even be angry, but they'd make sure to spread the word that Emma and Neal's escapades couldn't have happened under their watch. 

"I need to talk with my husband, then," she said, expecting Emma to object to Robert's presence as well. 

Instead Emma only shrugged. "I guess."

*

Robert exhaled slowly, sitting down hard on the chair beside Gideon's crib. "Neal has no idea," he said after a long pause, a statement rather than a question. 

Belle still shook her head. "Emma says she hasn't told him, no." She walked over to him, aware that they needed to return to the pregnant teenager in their living room at once, but also that her husband deserved a moment to process the news. "Are you all right?"

He motioned her closer, then rested his head against her belly. "I just wish I'd been wrong, that's all."

Belle blinked. "You knew?"

*

"We haven't seen Emma in weeks, and you know how she has been saving for that post-graduation trip to California we're not supposed to know about."

Belle nodded, though Robert had also clued her in to the young couple's plan to see Tallahassee next summer. "So?"

He lifted her shoulders. "So it made no sense that she'd turn us down every time we asked her to babysit."

Belle sighed. "She's been avoiding us."

"And since Neal would have told us about a break-up, and Emma isn't likely to cheat,-" he lifted both hands, palms upwards- "there weren't many options left."

*

"What are we going to do, Robert?"

Belle could tell that he'd been mulling on the matter, because there was no hesitation as he took her hand and offered a little smile. "Emma is a smart girl; she knows her options. If she's come for advice...."

"Oh yes, she's keeping it," Belle agreed, that having been one of her first questions. 

Robert nodded, unsurprised. "Then you'll have the pleasure of becoming a grandmother scant months after delivering your first child," he told her. 

She couldn't help a soft snort of laughter. "Well, you did promise an adventure like no other."

*

Together, Robert and Belle made their way downstairs and gave a twin sigh of relief to find Emma still in place. The girl's eyes were wide with apprehension, but she relaxed at Robert's opening:

"If it's a girl, you'll have to choose after which of your grandmothers to name her."

Belle looked confused, as she knew nothing of Mary Margaret's second pregnancy, but Emma laughed. 

"Leo was lucky to be a boy," she said, "or mom and dad would still be arguing over it. If it's a girl, Ava Ruth sounds good to me. And if not, he'll be Henry." 

*

Robert quirked an eyebrow. He hadn't been aware of Regina's late father having that much of a presence in Emma's life. "Hm," he muttered noncommittally, thinking of the spineless mouse Mills had become after marriage. 

"It's a lovely name," Belle chimed in. 

"Thanks," Emma said, then turned to Robert, crossing her arms over her chest with some of her usual cockiness. "Or are you suggesting I should look into your family tree?"

Robert winced. Belle instinctively grabbed his hand. 

"Sorry. Stab in the dark." Emma squirmed awkwardly. "But with your kid named after a book character, I didn't think so."

*

"You and Neal can work that out," Robert grumbled, though Neal was his father's son in many ways. He'd probably let the mother of his child name it, too. 

Hopefully Emma would have changed her mind by then. 

"It's a good name," Emma insisted, a hint of censure in her voice. "I know there was some history between you two, but Mr. Mills was sweet and honest. All he wanted was for the family to be at peace. I'll be needing to focus on that in the coming months."

Robert didn't argue. "Indeed," he said, "and while we're discussing family..."

*

Belle wasn't surprised that her husband's priority had been to make Emma comfortable, and even allow the girl to win an argument at his expense - though he couldn't have expected that Emma would blindside him with a mention of Malcolm. 

For all Robert was dreaded by various tenants in town, and that he really looked forward to any opportunity to slash down the fools who asked for an undeserved extension, he was patient and observant. 

Above all, he was kind. Especially to those he cared about. 

"Emma," he said, sitting next to the girl, "your parents need to know."

*

Belle followed her husband's cue, sitting at Emma's left. "How can we help you?"

Emma looked between them, then gave a small chuckle. "Would you support me dropping off school?" She took in their reactions and sighed. "Was worth the try. Guess Ashley Boyd is my new pal; at least she's nicer than Eloise."

Belle didn't know Emma's school mates, so she couldn't promise their continued friendship. "It's only a few more months," she said instead. 

"Take it as an opportunity to discover your true friends," Robert counseled, patting her hand, then said firmly, "Now, about your parents. And stop stalling."

*

"Can't it wait? It's not like they'll notice for another month or so," Emma muttered. 

Robert's mouth tightened. "This isn't only about you, dearie. I'm counting on your parents' overdeveloped sense of decency not to turn the police department against Neal. He turned eighteen last month," he explained at Emma's uncomprehending look, "you still have most of a year to go."

Belle felt awful, not having thought of that. "They wouldn't," she defended the Nolans. 

"But they could," Robert said. "Emma, your mother will already hate that you didn't run to her with this, so, no, it cannot wait."

*

Belle had to agree with her husband's assessment, so she didn't stop him from pressing. 

"Do you want to tell your parents yourself, or do you prefer I do the honors?"

Emma froze for a long second. "They'll think I'm such a fool," she whispered, again on the verge of tears. "And I wasn't! We... we were careful, okay?"

With Gideon having arrived a couple years ahead of schedule, Belle sympathized. "These things happen."

Robert nodded, suddenly lit with a spark of unmasked mirth. "I'm certain your parents, of all people, will understand."

Emma furrowed her brow, then gasped. "Seriously?"

*

"Let's just say that I've known your parents since they were making fools of themselves, pretending they weren't meeting at Granny's for breakfast every morning." He smirked at the memory, and Belle almost chided him before she noticed Emma's response. 

Far from awkward at the mention of her parents' affair, the girl regained a bit of color and chuckled back. 

Belle shook her head. Shaping truth into useful shields or swords was an ability those two had in common. 

"That's a good point," Emma said thoughtfully, a hand stroking her stomach. "At least Neal and I weren't cheating on anybody."

*

For the first time in two weeks, Emma breathed without an awful knot of dread choking her. Finding out about the baby had been scary, but picturing the future had been worse. 

Neal's probable desertion had haunted her. Daydreaming of a life together had been easy before he'd followed his artist's heart, his mother's legacy, to New York. What if he resembled his mother in other ways, and ran from responsibility? He'd spoken of travel and adventure so often...

Belle and Gold, however, took his presence as a given. They were biased, of course, but it still gave Emma hope. 

*

Losing her parents' love had been an even worse prospect. They were so good; they didn't deserve the disappointment. 

It tempted her to quiz Ashley on adoption agencies, though she knew that giving up her baby would be heartbreaking. She'd followed her mom's and Belle's pregnancies too closely not to know that she'd miss what they had. 

But Gold was right: her parents were the best, but still not perfect. 

They weren't so hypocritical that they'd blame her for a mistake they'd made themselves.

Taking a deep breath, her hand tight around Belle's, she nodded. "I'm ready. I'll tell them."

 

The End  
01/01/18

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is love! If you liked it, please leave a comment.


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